International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, Vol. 6, No. 6, June 2016

Public Space in the Image of Barcelona in Post-Dictatorship Period

İdil Ayral Sürer

 the future of a city always has its roots in its past. Therefore, Abstract—By collapse of dictatorship of Franco, Spain and as public space, as in urban transformation of Barcelona, is an autonomous community, Catalonia has started a process of regenerated by politics and economy as well as architects, reestablishment in politics, economy and culture which also urbanists, designers, artists, media, newspapers, tradition and reflected in urban development of Barcelona. As from 1980s, the city was regenerated around a series of projects, eventually culture of the society. becoming one of the most outstanding, cosmopolitan places The image of the city of Barcelona can be examined within worldwide. Public space was one of the fundamentals of the new the context of public space since it has been one of the main urban design approach and important events as 1992 Olympic components of its urban development especially as from Games and 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures were 1980s, by contribution of important urban actors as mayor instrumental in the creation of more spaces in order to make a Pasqual Maragall, who admits that “youngsters shouldn't contribution to collective life in Barcelona. Thus, this paper aims to define the notion of public space in the image of the city, and grow up in a meaningless landscape” and urbanist-architect afterwards, to explain the urban transformation of Barcelona in Oriol Bohigas, basing his urban projects around the principle post-dictatorship period, briefly mentioning some projects and that public space is “the city”. Today, the city simply could be urban actors, as architect-urbanist Oriol Bohigas who had a called as “alive” with numerous inhabitants taking advantage significant role in urban regeneration of the city. of leisure activities, festivals, street parties, celebrations throughout all seasons and all hours of the day in public space Index Terms—Barcelona, contemporary history, public space, which is a fundamental element in Barcelonian way of living. urbanism, urban history. Thus my aim here is threefold: First, to consider the importance of the concept of “public space” in the image of I. INTRODUCTION the city, second to explain the urban transformation of Barcelona in 80s and after, especially focusing on the Barcelona is a very important city that provides an regeneration of its public space, and third, refer to significant excellent case study of many of the major themes of urban role of Oriol Bohigas as an urban actor of this period of urban development, especially within the context of its renaissance and regeneration in the city of Barcelona. contemporary history, as from 1980s, when dictatorship of

Franco collapsed. In Spain, a political reconstruction has begun which meant for Catalonia, the re-establishment of II. PUBLIC SPACE IN THE IMAGE OF THE CITY Catalan parliament and the relationship between central The city as a living organism, is a developing, changing, government and regional autonomous communities. With a enlarging, reshaping and a regenerating structure. Urban or metropolitan vision, Barcelona achieved to act as a cultural, public space, as a vital component of this structure, is a political, economic and intellectual core of Catalonia [1] product interpreted by the perception of humankind under eventually becoming an outstanding, cosmopolitan city. various circumstances. Open space or public space, with purposes of open air The notion of “public space” can be considered as an activities, enjoying a contact with nature or urban enclosed area used by community such as a park, a garden, an environment and surrounding architecture, understanding the urban landscape or a square in which people are directly city as a place of collective life and a monument to be involved by social actions. In spite of being used in a more preserved, being a mirror of collective history, has been a animated and temporary way, urban connectors as streets, fundamental issue in Barcelona’s urban development, axes and promenades can be also included in this notion. eventually maintaining a strong identity and image. By Francis defines it as “the common ground where civility and considering urban diversity and homogeneity, urban our collective sense of what may be called 'publicness' are innovation with attention to urban fabric of historical developed and expressed.” [3] as it is one of the prominent buildings, by redefining the relations between urban planning elements in a cultural system through which public and action [2], public space of Barcelona succeeded in communicates, experiences and explores. It serves as an icon, developing a remarkable urban quality. a meaningful component that reflects the identity of the The form of a public space is important as it defines the society as well as being the most powerful visual connection political contents of a city, reflecting its past and present, and between land, buildings and human.

There are multiple dimensions of public space: It is a social Manuscript received January 3, 2015; revised March 5, 2015. İdil Ayral Sürer is with the Institute of History Jaume Vicens i Vives relationship, a product to be used and consumed by tourism (Institut Universitari d'Història Jaume Vicens i Vives) of Pompeu Fabra and leisure activities as meeting, strolling or formal University (Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain (e-mail: gatherings, festivals and celebrations. It is serves as a tool of [email protected]).

DOI: 10.7763/IJSSH.2016.V6.688 446 International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, Vol. 6, No. 6, June 2016 thought and action, along with being a means of control, Within the urban fabric, urban landscapes, parks, gardens, domination, power [4]. It is a vehicle that expresses social collective open areas, squares make a major contribution to tensions and consequently, works of architects and urban the image of the city by giving physical and social continuity developers turns into a space of social vehemence. In to urban character. Barcelona is formed on this basis of urban democratic political systems, civil society can make use of continuity as Parc de la Ciutadella and Montjuïc act as public space for purposes of expression whereas in connections between the coast and inner parts of the city undemocratic regimes, the state gains a practical and whereas belt of sub-urban parks as Park Güell and Parc del symbolic control over society by preventing civil Guinardó provides the continuity in inland suburbs of the city. mobilization [5] even though it is a constitutional right. As an Without the contribution of urban open areas, the city would example, like many authoritarian regimes, during dictatorship have been a set of buildings connected with ever-lengthening of Franco in Spain, in 1940s and later, activities in public roads. Similarly, design approach of Ildefons Cerdà in space, even a conversation between more than three people Eixample, with large square blocks (mançana) with open was prohibited. garden space in the middle (pati), was based on urban The relation between user and space designed for collective continuity and collective usage as these inner gardens were use is constructed through visual, physical and symbolic accessible from the street. access. For instance, a square, designed as an outdoor public The formation of urban fabric in relation with public spaces room to enhance the surrounding architecture, is perceived and green areas shouldn't be understood as filling the gaps in through emotions and memories attached to that space. As the city in order to create a continuous urban character. Bohr says: “Isn’t it strange how Kronberg Castle changes as Conversely, it means that urban morphology is formed by the soon as one imagines that Hamlet lived here?.. Suddenly the landscape features so that the city should be designed on the walls and ramparts speak a quite different language..” [6]. basis of its public spaces and urban landscape. In other words, Moreover, the sense of belonging to a city is constructed from public spaces as urban landscapes, parks, gardens, squares individual and collective experiences in public spaces which should be taken as the main focus on urban development and forms an individual and collective memory, strengthening city growth since they are the definitive elements of the city's perception of public life and the culture of living together. language. Civic participation in the production of an urban image through production of social place also creates a sense of belonging, social solidarity, civic pride and loyalty to that III. URBAN TRANSFORMATION OF CONTEMPORARY place [7]. In Barcelona, based on the frequent usage of public BARCELONA space -as a tradition common to Mediterranean countries- and Throughout its history, Barcelona has gone through its integration into social and urban life (Fig. 1), the different stages of urban transformation. Starting from inhabitants are constantly in touch with their city and its Cerdà’s plan for a new expansion of the city in the mid 19th monuments which also create a sense of common property century, Eixample, the urban fabric of the city transformed by and consciousness to respect and protect the values of it. political, economical or cultural changes as Universal Exposition in 1888 (Exposició Universal de Barcelona), International Exposition in 1929 (Exposició Internacional de Barcelona), the strong wave of immigration during 1920s, Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and dictatorship of Francisco Franco from 1939 until 1975. In Post-Franco period, with the transition to democracy and recovery of the City Council (Ajuntament) in 1979, the city has experienced a profound process of urban renewal, followed by the 1992 Olympic Games (Jocs Olímpics de la XXV Olimpíada) and 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures (Fòrum Universal de les Cultures), revealing the image of today’s Barcelona which Fig. 1. Traditional Catalan dance, sardana, which is a symbol of Catalan has become an outstanding brand at international level. unity and pride, in one of the most emblematic squares of Barcelona, General Metropolitan Plan (PGM), with influences from Avinguda de la Catedral. Italian planning of 1960s, passed in 1976 and allowed a future improvement to urban quality of Barcelona by reserving The city is made of different, strongly attached elements empty areas for schools, housing and public space. Ensuring that should be in harmony to create a compact, strong urban urban requalification through public space, it was one of the identity, because even though the image of the city constantly first attempts for planning program of 1980s, by contributions evolves, its identity remains. Thus, as an invariant component, of mayor Narcís Serra followed by mayor Pasqual Maragall, public space must be planned carefully in detail and with a background in urban economics and urbanist-architect meaningfully to contribute this identity by considering the Oriol Bohigas as director of urban planning. Bohigas was the city has a language of its own. Besides, if a public space must man behind the idea of urban rehabilitation for gaps and be an authentic space, the most important criteria has to be disused areas in order to be converted into parks and squares. defining its role in urban structure as public space is more Therefore, parks with internal position as Parc de than a solution of a problem or a simple introduction of green l'Escorxador (Fig. 2) and Parc de l'Espanya Industrial, to the city. squares as Plaça dels Països Catalans, Plaça de la Palmera,

447 International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, Vol. 6, No. 6, June 2016 gardens of former private estates that were given a public use Olympics was internationalization of the city and the as Ca n'Altimira, urban axes as Avinguda Gaudi, Carrer Olympic Village (Vila Olímpica) in Poblenou neighborhood Tarragona, and large-scale parks as Parc de la Vall d’Hebron designed by Oriol Bohigas, Josep Martorell, David Mackay constructed for Olympic Games were among the projects and Albert Puigdomènech became a prime referent in the realized until 1992. Moreover, special Interior Reform Plans process of urban transformation. Based on elements of local (PERI) were prepared for providing the reuse of existing urban design, as constructing street grids as in Eixample and spaces as well as creation of new spaces in neighborhoods [8]. joining inner part with coastal line through a system of green One of the projects realized in this period was the spaces, new parks and promenades, this project reformulated recuperation of inner gardens of Eixample in order to create the relation between the city and water which has always public spaces in a very dense zone of the city and to propose existed during its historical formulation and provided global some solutions to the problem of collective use of inner identification to the neighborhood [12]. Parc de Carles I, gardens just as Cerdà proposed [9]. The need for open spaces Parc de Les Cascades and Parc de la Nova Icària are some of within a dense urban fabric was solved by relatively quick, public spaces constructed with motivation of Olympic Games, pragmatic and inexpensive projects distributed throughout the providing this part of the city large-scale green areas with city. installation of contemporary art works. Situated on southwest of the city, Montjuïc hill, which already had a large-scale urbanization process for 1929 International Exposition, was selected as a venue for Olympic Games and numerous sports venues were built. Consequently, the hill became an outstanding public space with many parks, gardens, sports facilities, Olympic sites, cultural attractions, museums like The National Museum of Art of Catalonia (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya) and Joan Miró Foundation (Fundació Joan Miró), and remarkable architectural works as Palau Sant Jordi by Arata Izosaki, and the telecommunications tower designed by Santiago Calatrava. Fig. 2. Dona i Ocell sculpture by Joan Miró in Parc de l'Escorxador. Urban politics of the period has been to project the city as from public space which has been the fundamental issue of The dictatorship of Franco was a dark period, but urban strategy with respect to “construct” in “constructed”. nevertheless created a strong civil awareness which was Olympic Games has been most instrumental event in demonstrated in strong neighborhood movements and Barcelona’s contemporary history, inspiring a reconstructive commitment of much of intellectuals, artists and professionals. urbanism and redefinition of architecture and image of the It was the basis of a socialism, with Barcelona City Council city. It made a contribution in regenerating the collective (Ajuntament de Barcelona) mostly consisting of socialist imaginary of inhabitants. Post-Olympics period addressed the party [10] PSC (Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya) founded city environment, improvements in infrastructure, the creation in 1978. Elected as mayor in 1982, by the help of his political of a high-tech business centre in Poblenou -which consisted and professional formation, Maragall succeeded in building of old, abandoned factory buildings- and consequently, networks of association and trust with politicians, planners organization of 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures (Fòrum and the private sector and finally, selection of Barcelona for Universal de les Cultures) which has brought a second leap to 1992 Olympics (Fig. 3) provided him a highly mediated development, economy, internationalization and urban performance space. By rebuilding or redesigning urban public transformation of the city by creation of a new flexible, open space, creation of cleansed, post-industrial beaches of the new space: Parc del Fòrum. As Joan Clos, then mayor of waterfront and contribution of new projects designed by Barcelona, admits: international architects as Norman Foster, Richard Meier, Arata Izosaki and Santiago Calatrava, Barcelona has made a “The Universal Forum of Cultures, an event to be held for remarkable leap to be “a centre of a euroregion of 15 million the first time in Barcelona, focuses on reflection and inhabitants, and that aspires to be the gateway to southern experience centering on three core themes whose bearing on Europe and one of the European cultural capital.” as Maragall our future cannot be overstated: the process of building says [11]. peace, sustainable development and respect for cultural diversity. The Forum is a new kind of international event that brings together people rather than states. Its central aim is to provide a platform for global civil society to make itself heard and a framework for reflection, dialogue, experience, festivity, and celebration of all the arts” [13]. Forum Building (Edifici Fòrum) designed by Herzog & de Meuron [14] is being used as a natural science museum today, known as Museu de Ciències Naturals or Museu Blau providing an iconic public space in north-eastern sector of Fig. 3. Maquette of Montjuc with new projects including Olympic venues. Barcelona.

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IV. ORIOL BOHIGAS AS AN URBAN ACTOR nationalism for being “anti-cultural”, with a tendency against Designated as Director of Planning of City Council of the culture in terms of social and intellectual progression as it Barcelona between 1980-84, Oriol Bohigas was one of the is based on claiming own tradition. As he states, despite the key figures of urbanization in 80s and 90s and he projected appearance of modernity and liberty, the “kitsch” is the final urban policies of major works (Fig. 4) that allowed Barcelona consequence of conservatism of a sector of nationalist to host the Olympic Games. Apart from his numerous ideology [19]. architectural works since 1950s, he has been thinking, writing, designing and planning on urbanism and on the image of the V. CONCLUSION city, especially focusing on public space as he considers that the city is the conjunction of its public spaces and public In July 1999, Barcelona received an international prize, space is the city. Therefore, it has to resolve the questions of Royal Gold Medal for architecture awarded annually by the “legibility” and “identity” since it is tied up with the physical Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). For the first time and social identity of its wider setting. Besides its the prize was given to a city, for its transformation as an urban architectural quality, public space must be meaningful, easily and a politic model [20]. Obviously, this prize was a result of readable and comprehensible in order to be accepted and the approach that has specified public space as a focal point to understood by society [15]. improve quality and social dignity with a of Barcelona as an According to Bohigas, an identifiable city fragment must aggregation of different districts rather than a general system have an intelligent form or a point of identification like a of functions. After the reconstruction of four obsolete or monument. Therefore, the slogan “sanitize the centre, marginalized zones for Olympics, creation of numerous monumentalize the periphery” (higienitzar el centre, public spaces, rehabilitation of neighborhoods, by monumentalitzar la periferia) was formulated to create an contribution of open visions of urban actors like Oriol authentic urban culture in every urban environment [16] and Bohigas, this award was one of the prestigious outcomes of this approach quickly responded to the demands of large-scale urban transformation of the city. inhabitants by the creation of almost 200 squares and parks As seen from its contemporary history, in constantly [17] in order to provide quality, dignity and sufficient changing urban anthropology, within terms of the image and infrastructures and services to neighborhoods in the city. He identity of the city, natural, aesthetic, environmental, hygienic, wanted to avoid the urban policy of dislocating the original psychological, social and cultural values, Barcelona has neighborhoods for substitution of low income sectors with become one of the prominent cities in the world by the quality upper class residential areas or reconstructing these zones in of life it provides to its habitants. Due to the urban order to serve for tourist attractions, which is briefly called development approach in which the importance of public “gentrification”. So, as he explains, methods and specific space is never underestimated, Barcelona has created a instruments of urbanism of City Council was based on directly remarkable urban quality where inhabitants whether in the acting in public space with an intention of making it an centre or closer to sub-urban areas, are able to benefit from equipment of quality and converting it into a focus of inner parks, squares, urban landscapes or natural reserves generation of spontaneous transformations in degraded which are carefully maintained and conserved. Thus, it should neighborhoods, so that the public space would act as an be always remembered that, in order to achieve economic, exemplary spot, as a motor of regeneration of environment social, cultural development, with adequate attention, under the initiative of the users themselves [18] because he financial resources and design processes should be considers public space must be totally collective without considered for public spaces, as already have been done to private landowners. create today's image of Barcelona.

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[10] A. Albet and M. D. Garcia, “Pre and postolympics’ Barcelona, a İdil (Ayral) Sürer was born in Istanbul, Turkey on “model” for the actual urban generation?” in Public Spaces, Gender January 16, 1985. She received her BArch degree from and Diversity, M. D. Garcia, A. Ortiz, M. Prats, Eds. Barcelona: Icaria, Department of Architecture within Faculty of pp. 51-59, 2014. Architecture of Istanbul Technical University (ITU), [11] D. McNeill, “Barcelona as imagined community: Pasqual Maragall's Istanbul, Turkey in 2010; followed by her MSc degree spaces of engagement,” Transactions of the Institute of British in history of architecture program within Graduate Geographers, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 340-352, 2001. School of Science, Engineering and Technology of [12] Barcelona City Council, Urbanism and Public Works Department, Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Istanbul, Turkey Urbanism in Barcelona: Plans Until 92, Barcelona: Barcelona City in 2012. Her major field of study was late period of Council, p. 122, 1987. Ottoman Ar chitecture and Ottoman gardens and she prepared her MSc thesis [13] J. Clos, “Foreword,” in Tourisms: The Defeat of Dissent, K. Patrick, on “The 19th Century Garden Kiosks of Istanbul” which is currently in Ed. Barcelona: Fundació Antoni Tàpies, p. 5, 2004. publication process as a book in İstanbul. [14] P. G. Rowe, Building Barcelona: A Second Renaixença, Barcelona: After working in Garanti Gallery Architecture and Design Database Actar, pp. 137, 2006. Project in Garanti Platform Contemporary Art Gallery in İstanbul for a short [15] O. Bohigas, “Ten points of an urban methodology,” in Transforming period in 2010, she worked as an architect respectively in Gül Bozantı Barcelona, T. Marshall, Ed. New York: Routledge, pp. 91-96, 2004. Architecture, Idea Architecture and Mimat Architecture until September [16] O. Bohigas, Redo Memory: Complete Diaries, Barcelona: La Magrana, 2012 when she became a research assistant in Architecture Department of p. 25, 2014. Fatih Sultan Mehmet University, İstanbul, Turkey. She continued this [17] N. Calavita and A. Ferrer, “Behind Barcelona's success story: Citizen position until September 2013 when she moved to Barcelona, Spain for her movements and planners' power,” in Transforming Barcelona, T. PhD studies. Marshall, Ed. New York: Routledge, pp. 47-64, 2004. She is currently a PhD candidate in Institute of History Jaume Vicens i [18] O. Bohigas, Reconstruction of Barcelona, Barcelona: Edicions 62, p. Vives (Institut Universitari d'Història Jaume Vicens i Vives) of Pompeu 21, 1985. Fabra University (Universitat Pompeu Fabra) with a major interest on [19] O. Bohigas, Redo Memory: Complete Diaries, Barcelona: La Magrana, contemporary urban history and transformation of public space in the city of p. 194, 322, 2014. Barcelona. [20] A. Albet and M. D. Garcia, “Pre and postolympics’ Barcelona, a “model” for the actual urban generation?” in Public Spaces, Gender and Diversity, M. D. Garcia, A. Ortiz, M. Prats, Eds. Barcelona: Icaria, pp. 51-59, 2014.

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